Pilot Project Studies Managed Electric Vehicle Charging in a Workplace Setting

May 27, 2020 in Energy Systems, Transportation & Fuels Author: Maggie Kristian

An electric vehicle charging at the greenway buildingThe Great Plains Institute’s pilot project to study managed electric vehicle (EV) charging with on-site solar generation shows how a solar-synchronized EV charging system can function throughout the year—even in wintry Minnesota—and meet the needs of EV drivers at a workplace. This post describes the impacts of the solar-synchronized system on EVs at GPI’s headquarters in Minneapolis. The pilot project findings provide data that can contribute to discussions about building managed charging infrastructure, grid impacts, and factors to consider for future system designs.   Continue reading »

Why an Ethanol Advocacy Group Supports a Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy

April 10, 2020 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan

Why an ethanol advocacy group supports a clean fuels policy

The Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy Initiative, facilitated by the Great Plains Institute (GPI), recently released a report detailing how a successful clean fuels policy should be designed. The initiative brings together fuel producers and marketers, nonprofit and research organizations, scientists and engineers, and agriculture and industry stakeholders.

Continue reading »

Managed Electric Vehicle Charging Benefits Tested in Solar Synchronization Pilot

March 3, 2020 in Energy Systems, Transportation & Fuels Author: Maggie Kristian

An electric vehicle charger outside the Greenway building in Minneapolis, MNManaged electric vehicle charging can have benefits for two different groups—the demand side (the electric vehicle owner, the building owner, the power customer) and the supply side (the whole electric grid system). This blog looks at the benefits of managed electric vehicle charging and how it works in practice, using 2019 examples from the Greenway Building (GPI’s headquarters) where charging levels are synchronized with on-site solar production. Continue reading »

2020 Minnesota Legislative Session Preview: Electric Vehicles

January 18, 2020 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan

A view of the Minnesota State Capitol in the evening

The 2020 Minnesota legislative session is right around the corner, and Drive Electric Minnesota is ready to continue supporting a policy and regulatory landscape that drives electric vehicle (EV) adoption and infrastructure. With that, I want to share a 2020 Minnesota legislative preview for Drive Electric Minnesota’s policy and regulatory positions and some quick thoughts about how accomplishments in 2019 set the stage for this year. Continue reading »

Pilot Project Gets Solar Panels in Sync with Electric Vehicle Chargers

January 9, 2020 in Energy Systems, Transportation & Fuels Author: Maggie Kristian

What if we could harness the energy produced by the sun and maximize its potential to power electric vehicles (EVs) with zero-carbon electricity? That’s exactly what GPI has been working on in a pilot project that studies how managed EV charging can pull varying levels of power from the solar panels on our rooftop based on how much solar is being produced at a given time. This ability to use “solar synchronization” could have big implications for reducing carbon emissions in both the electricity and transportation sectors, and presents potential benefits for consumers and businesses alike. Continue reading »

Analysis: Rooftop Solar Can Provide Year-Round Electricity—Even in the Bold North

December 19, 2019 in Energy Systems, Transportation & Fuels Authors: Dane McFarlane, Elizabeth Abramson

Solar panels on the roof of a Minneapolis building in winter

When it comes to solar energy, a common question is how electricity generation will be affected by seasonal shifts or daily changes in the weather. These variations become especially important when households and businesses consider using rooftop solar panels to serve their electricity needs, such as for charging electric vehicles (EVs). By analyzing a full year of data collected from the solar array on the Great Plains Institute’s own rooftop, paired with the electric vehicle chargers at our building, we have gathered insights to answer to this question.  
Continue reading »